Spring-tongue snap-hook.



J. G. COVERT.

SPRING TONGUE SNAP HOOK. APBLIOATION 31min mY2,1sos.

959,1 1 6. Patented May 24, 1910.,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES C. COVERT, OF WATERVLIE'I, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO COVERT MANUFAC- -'IURING COMPANY, OF WATERVLIET, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SPRING-TONGUE SNAP-HOOK.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES C. Covnnr, a citizen of the United States, residing at VVatervliet, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring- Tongue Snap-Hooks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in spring tongue snap hooks, and has for its primary object the provision of a device of this character wherein the spring tongue when once fastened in place will be permanently and rigidly retained in its proper relation to the bill and against any lateral play or movement relative to said bill; and the invention also embraces the method of making such hook.

Heretofore, it has been customary in this art, to provide the casting which constitutes the bill with a recess or pocket in its under surface opening through the front of the casting to permit the spring tongue to be inserted thereinto, the latter being held in place in the recess or pocket by a single rivet on the casting and passing through a suitable aperture in the spring tongue.

It is known by those skilled in the art that in making the castings, the recesses therein will differ slightly in size in the different devices whereby the end of the spring tongue will not hug the Walls of the recess, and the single rivet not being capable of preventing such movement, the tongue may shift laterally relative to the bill to a very substantial extent, with the attendant danger of the tongue escaping entirely from the bill, or destroying the artistic lines of the hook, thereby impairing the neat appeal ance required by the trade.

In overcoming the disadvantages just above referred to, I provide meanson the body or casting adapted to be forcibly depressed into the spaces between the opposite edges of that portion of the spring tongue which is seated in the recess and the adjacent side walls bordering the recess, where by the depressed metal will fill said spaces and be crowded against said edge of the tongue and also thereover. More specifically, I utilize the inwardly diverging or inclined sides of the tongue cooperating with Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 2, 1908.

Patented May 24, 1910.

Serial No. 430,520.

said crowding and overlying means, where by the tongue is not only firmly clamped at its sides but is forced by said means inwardly against the back wall of the recess. This crowding and overlying fastening means may be utilized either with or without a rivet, but in either event, by improved securing means affords a perfectly rigid fastening whereby any bodily play of the tongue is positively prevented. Thus, I provide a device of far greater merit than one where either a single or even a pair of rivets arranged side by side are employed.

The method of making the hook comprises first the forming of a casting having a recess, portions of the surrounding walls of which are adapted to be pressed or broken down; properly placing the spring tongue .in the recess; and breaking or pressing down said wall portion to bind the edges of the spring; and also to force the end of the latter into engagement with the back Wall of the recess, all of which will more fully hereinafter appear.

Novel features of the device heretofore outlined, and others, will be apparent from the detailed description hereinafter contained when read in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof and wherein a convenient embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the hook casting prior to the application of the spring tongue, Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the spring tongue in place, Fig. 3 is a back view, Figs. 4L and 5 are respectively a transverse and longltudinal section, and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a modification.

Referring more specifically to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views, A represents the main or body portion of the casting having the usual bill B and attaching eye C. In the back of the casting is an approximately rectangular recess D, the base of which is inclined substantially on a line intersecting the end of the bill and opens through the front of the casting to permit the insertion of the spring tongue E, and whereby the inner end of said tongue will lie flat upon said base of the re cess. The sides of the tongue diverge in an press the metal of the casting beneath the recesses forcibly against the side edges of the .tongue and over upon the back of the tongue to bind the same against bodily movement in any direction whatsoever. In pressing down the portions of the casting as just described, they being represented at G, the tendency of the operation in wedging the metal against the inclined edges of the tongue and within the tapering spaces 2 between said edges and the side walls of the recess D is to force the tongue back against the rear wall d of the said recess. It will thus be readily seen that there exists no possibility of the tongue becoming loosened or rocking in a lateral direction.

In the device shown in Fig. 6 I have provided a rivet H in addition to the depressed metal portions I, it being clear that in this instance the tongue will be forced back firmly against the rivet as the metal of the side walls is depressed in keeping with the method employed as set forth in the description of the device of the first figures.

It is to be noted that while I have in the hereto appended claims called for the oppositely disposed displaced portions of metal, etc., I do not desire to be limited in the use of my invent-ion to the use of a pair of these devices, inasmuch as it is clear that the use of a single displaced binding portion might in some instances be found suflicient without the least departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a spring tongue snap hook a body portion having a hook, a seat, a spring tongaie cooperating with said hook, and said seat, the formation of the seat and spring leaving an inwardly tapering space between the edge thereof and the body of the hook, and the spring being secured in place by a part of the body forced into said tapering space whereby to engage the edge of the tongue substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. A casting for hooks of the character described, formed with a bill portion and a recessed portion for the reception of a tongue,the side walls of said recessed portion being reduced in width to provide recesses-above relatively thick portions of said side walls located between the top and bottom edges of said side walls, and the metal of which thickportions is adapted to be displaced for the purpose described.

3. A hook of the character described consisting of a body portion having a bill anda recessed portion, a tongue adapted to fit said recessed portion and cooperate with the bill, and means forsecuring the tongue in place comprising displaced portions of the metal of the body arranged between the top and bottom edges of the side walls and pressed into binding engagement with the edges of the end of the tongue within said recess.

a. A hook of the character described consisting of a body portion having a bill and a recessed portion, a tongue adapted to fit said recessed portion and cooperate with the bill, and means for securing the tongue in place comprising displaced portions of the metal of the body arranged between the top and bottom edges of the side walls and pressed into binding engagement with the edges and outer surface of the end of the tongue within said recess.

5. A hook of the character described consisting of a body portion having a bill and a recessed portion, a tongue adapted to fit said recessed portion and cooperate with the bill, and means for securing the tongue in place, comprising displaced portions of the metal of the body arranged between the top and bottom edges of the side walls and pressed into binding engagement with the edges of the end of the tongue within said recess, and an abutment on the body against which an opposing edge of the spring is forced in an inward direction.

6. I11 a snap hook, a shank, a bill, said shank having a recess at its rear side, cheek pieces at each side of said recessand an abutment at the rear of said recess, said shank having a spring passage between said cheek pieces, a tapered spring standing in said passage and widest at its rear end and having an under bearing support at the forward edge thereof, the forward end of said spring resting under said bill, an integral lug at the inner side of each cheek piece, said lugs engaging the opposite edges of said sprin just forward of the rear extremity thereo 7. I11 a snap hook, a shank, a bill, said shank having a recess at its rear side, cheek pieces at each side of said recess, said shank having a spring passage between said check pieces, a spring standing in said passage and having an under bearing support at the forward edge thereof, the forward end of said spring resting under said bill, an integral lug at the inner side of each cheek piece, said lugs engaging the opposite edges of said spring just forward of the rear extremity thereof.

8. In a snap hook, a shank, a bill, said shank having a recess at its rear side, cheek pieces at each side of said recess, said shank having a spring passage between said check pieces, a springstanding in said passage and extremity thereof and securing the spring in having an under bearing support at the forplace. 10 ward edge thereof, the forward end of said In testimony whereof I affix my signature spring resting under said bill, and an intein presence of two witnesses.

- gral inwardly projecting portion at the in- JAMES C. COVERT.

ner side of each cheek piece, said inwardly Witnesses: projecting portions engaging the opposite L. S. BACON, edges of said spring just forward of the rear CALVIN T. MILANS. 

